


Heartbeats

by AdenineTopaz



Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: AU, Aftergame, Angst, Comfort, Heartbeats, M/M, Nightmare, Panic Attack, minor fluff, really weird au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 16:15:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13767807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AdenineTopaz/pseuds/AdenineTopaz
Summary: Sammy Lawrence has a horrifying nightmare and only one thing can get him out of his panic attack.





	Heartbeats

**Author's Note:**

> this takes place in an after-game au where basically nobody had to die and they all escaped the studio and live on the surface. let me have my happy au.

     Sammy wasn’t sure where he was, or what was going on, but he knew one thing was for sure: he had to find Norman. He found himself running through endless halls, sloshing through ink, pushing past old wood as his surroundings transformed into the underground studio again. He felt a sinister presence creeping up behind him, but he didn’t want to turn his head. He just kept running, screaming out Norman’s name, until he stopped in his tracks like something had grabbed his ankles. Before him lay the Projectionist, sprawled out on the floor, bullet holes tearing through his body.  
     “NORMAN!!” screeched Sammy, kneeling down before him. He put his hands on his shoulder, then pulled back as he felt it was freezing cold; no blood.  
     “Norman...?” He gently shook his body, desperate. Norman was limp and unresponsive.  
     “Norman, please! Wake up!” He shook him harder now, screaming out the same thing over and over.  
     “Wake up, wake up, wake up, WAKE UP!!”  
     And Sammy woke up. He bolted upright in the bed, gasping for air, his eyes wide.  
     “SAMMY! Are you awake? I kept telling you to wake up; you kept screaming Norman’s name in your sleep!” cried Bendy from beside him.  
     Sammy clutched the blanket, one hand on his chest, breathing hard, shaking, trying to get a grasp on reality. It was a nightmare. It wasn’t real. He turned to look at Bendy, who was sitting beside him with a worried look on his face.  
     “Sammy? You okay?” he asked.  
     The corrupted human didn’t dignify the question with an answer and instead looked at the alarm clock behind the demon. 3:34 AM. He had a hell of a night to go.  
     “N-N-Norman—“ he choked out. “I—I have to—“  
     Sammy reached over to the bedside table, fumbling around in the dark, and found his phone. With shaky hands he opened his messages and found Norman’s. He began texting.  
     [Norman??? Norman are you awake????]  
     He waited thirty seconds before texting again.  
     [Please reply this is seriuos please]  
     “Are you texting someone?” Bendy looked over at Sammy’s phone. “Sammy, Norman isn’t awake. No one is awake, it’s 3 in the morning.”  
     “S-Stop it, Bendy—!!” snapped Sammy.  
     Bendy jumped and reeled back. “Sammy, please calm down...” he said. “Come here, let me hold you.”  
     He reached out to wrap his arms around Sammy but the corrupted human jerked away. Sammy saw his vision blurring, and he reached over to grab his mask and put it on so the devil couldn’t see his tears.  
     He stumbled out of bed and made his way through the darkness, opening the door and walking into the hallway. He held his phone out in front of him and shakily dialed Norman’s number, then put it to his ear. It rang six times before Norman picked up.  
     “Ghh...h-hello?”  
     “N-N-Normaaaann...” sobbed Sammy, his breath hitching in his throat.  
     “Whuh...what’s...what’s wrong...?” mumbled the Projectionist.  
     “Norman, I-I—“ He hiccuped and choked. “—I need to s-see you...”  
     “See me? Like...right now?”  
     “Y-Yeah.”  
     “Sammy, it’s...3:30 AM.”  
     “N-N-Norman, please, i-it’s an emergency—“ gasped Sammy.  
     “Why? Did something happen?” There was a shifting sound on the other line, as if Norman had suddenly sat up in bed.  
     “Y-Yes...I...” Sammy could barely talk now, too interrupted by his gasps and wheezes.  
     “Are you having a panic attack?”  
     “Y—Yes—“  
     “Okay, just—just hold on, I’ll be over in ten, okay?” said Norman.  
     “Okay...thank you—“  
     “Okay, get Bendy to calm you down, alright?”  
     “Okay...”  
     “Okay, I’ll see you in a bit.”  
     Norman hung up. Sammy listened to the sound of the dial tone for a few seconds before sinking to the floor and pulling his knees to his chest. He looked up as he saw Bendy walk into the hall, the walls dripping with ink. He was in his tall demon form; hard to see in the dark, a normally threatening sight, but comforting to Sammy.  
     “Sammy...” he whispered.  
     He sat down beside him and scooped him up in his long arms, hugging him against his chest. The corrupted human grabbed onto him tightly, sobbing and choking miserably.  
     That scene from his dream replayed over and over in his mind; shaking Norman’s lifeless, bullet-riddled body. The terror he felt when he didn’t wake up. He had to make sure Norman was alive. Hearing his voice wasn’t enough to soothe the fear raging within him; he needed to see him.  
     Bendy’s grip was tight on his body, holding him snugly.  
     “Shhh...it’s okay. Norman’s okay. It was just a dream.” he cooed.  
     “I-I—I have to—have to make sure—“ sobbed Sammy. “—he’s okay—“  
     “He _is_ okay.” reassured the demon. “I heard you talking to him on the phone. He’s okay, Sammy.”  
     “I-It’s not enough.” replied the corrupted human, grasping onto him for dear life. “I have to—s-see him—“  
     “How are you gonna see him?”  
     “He—he said he’ll—c-come over—“  
     “At this hour?”  
     Sammy nodded, burying his face into Bendy’s shoulder. Bendy decided not to ask any more questions and instead resorted to just comforting him. He shushed him and rubbed his back, nuzzling into his neck. He could see tears dripping from underneath his mask, and his heart practically broke.  
     He always felt bad when Sammy was panicking, always wanted to take the pain away. But comforting was the best he could do until the attack resolved itself. He just hoped Norman could drive fast enough.  
     Sammy continued to sob and gasp until they both heard a car door slam outside. He perked up, listening closely, and heard rapid footfalls heading for the front door. He was out of Bendy’s arms in a shot, stumbling over his own feet as he made his way through the living room and to the door. He swung it open to find Norman standing there, perfectly alive and healthy.  
     “NORMAN!!” he shrieked, throwing himself at him and wrapping his arms around him.  
     “Oof!” cried the Projectionist, being knocked back. He wound one arm around the corrupted human as he stepped into the house, closing the door behind him.  
     “Sammy, Sammy, easy. It’s alright, I’m here.” he soothed, rubbing Sammy’s back.  
     Sammy wailed relentlessly, clinging to Norman even more than he did to Bendy. The devil crept out of the hallway, stunned at the scene before him. Norman gave him a questioning look.  
     “He had a really, really bad nightmare. He kept screaming your name in his sleep.” whispered Bendy.  
     Norman just nodded and turned back to Sammy, shushing him and nuzzling his neck and cheek.  
     “Sammy, what was the nightmare about?” he asked quietly.  
     “You—you d-died—couldn’t wake you up—“ hiccuped Sammy.  
     “Oh god.” replied Norman. “Sammy, I’m perfectly fine, okay? Look at me.”  
     The Projectionist lifted his mask and placed his hands on his cheeks. “I’m safe. I’m not dead. Everybody’s okay, alright?”  
     Sammy looked into his dim lens, wanting to see the light, proof of his life. “Y-You’re...safe...” he repeated, trembling.  
     “Yes, I’m safe. I’m alive. Here.” Norman took one of Sammy’s hands and placed it on his chest. The corrupted human felt his heartbeat thumping against his palm, steady and strong.  
     Sammy felt the terror inside him diminish drastically, the beats of Norman’s heart soothing his anxiety away.  
     “You’re a-alive...” he said. “You’re...alive...”  
     “I’m alive. I’m safe and I’m okay. You have nothing to worry about, okay?”  
     “Okay...”  
     “Come here.” Norman pulled Sammy close and let his head rest against his chest, his ear pressed close against his skin to listen to his heart. Sammy closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath as he finally felt some form of relaxation finally sweep over him. He could listen to the sound all night: _ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump._  
     Neither one of them were sure how long they stayed like that. Bendy had went back to bed at some point, sleepy and yawning. It was a while before Sammy pulled away, looking up at the Projectionist with wet eyes.  
     “Norman?” he asked quietly.  
     “Yeah?”  
     “Thank you...thank you for coming here and calming me down, even though it’s like...4 AM.”  
     Norman bumped his lens into his cheek. “It’s no problem, Sammy. You know I’d do anything for you.”  
     “You should probably go back home now.”  
     “Nah, I think I’ll stay the night. I’m too tired to drive right now.” Norman motioned over to the couch. “How about we sleep over there, together?”  
     Sammy smiled. “Sure.”  
     They walked over to the couch and laid down, Sammy taking his mask off and laying it on the table. He laid down on top of Norman, shifting around so they were comfortable, and then rested his head on his chest, hearing his heartbeat again. Sammy had to admit, he was afraid of going back to sleep, but with Norman there he felt safe, and soon he let his heartbeats lull him to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> yeah i figured since sammy and norman used to be humans they know how to drive
> 
> also yes i am aware there is a fic with a similar idea to this, i swear to god i came up with this myself, wrote it, and then found out about the other fic please believe me  
> (rated t for the nightmare)


End file.
